Shengelia Wants Summer Job

The Nets have said neither of their two Eastern European draft picks will be heading to Orlando next week for Summer League, but the agent for one of them, Toko Shengelia, says his client wants to show the Nets what he can do and is asking the team to put him on the roster. He hopes a solid outing in Orlando would win him an NBA contract this year.

Shengelia, a 6'10" Georgian forward, sees himself as "a taller Manu Ginobili" and has done well in the Euroleague, where he played as a 19-year-old last year, and in the FIBA European championships. Shengelia has a modest $300,000 buyout with Charleroi Spirou of Belgium which under the CBA, the Nets could pay.

Dave Zucker, his agent, tells Tim Bontemps, "I know the Nets are planning on him staying over, but I think we would like to make that decision after Summer League. The Nets have never had him in for a workout, the coaches have never dealt with him. I would like to see how they feel after they see him and experience him in person."

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